Hose actuated valve apparatus



April 23, 1963 J. w. HOWARD HOSE ACTUATED VALVE APPARATUS Filed March 2. 1960 n W n w o I A I ,4 7/ \v M A w w a u INVENTOR. Jon 1:4 HOWARD A Tram/5y: 9

purposes extinguishing agents United States Patent 3,086,545 HOSE ACTUATED VALVE APPARATUS John W. Howard, Altadena, Califl, assignor to General Fire Extinguisher Corporation, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 12,310 3 Claims. '(C'l. 137-343) This invention generally relates to valve apparatus and more particularly concerns a valve apparatus of particular utility in conjunction with the discharge of fluids, that is, liquids or gases, through a flexible tubular member or hose.

Although the present invention will be described for of illustration relative to the discharge of fire from a fire extinguisher tank-or the like, it will be appreciated that the valve apparatus hereafter described may also be employed in analogous structures in which valve devices are manually operated from a closed to an open position, particularly in instances in which a fiexible tubular member is used at least partially in conjunction with the discharge passage.

Most present day fire extinguisher devices of a portable nature embody manually operable valve means, in which a lever is actuated downwardly to cause a plunger and coupled valve'member to become unseated to thereby allow discharge of the fire extinguishing agents within the tank. It will be appreciated that in such a procedure it is necessary for the operator of the extinguisher to use both hands, one hand being used to actuate the valve and the other hand being employed for the purpose of directing the discharge hose or the like towards the parsimilar area of the fire.

One of the objects, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a valve apparatus which may be manually actuated by a particular flexing of the discharge hose coupled to a fire extinguisher tank or equivalent receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve apparatus which may be cooperatively embodied in a. fire extinguisher tank wall in the discharge line as such for actuation by a flexible tubular member or discharge hose also coupled to the tank well.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a valve apparatus for operation by discharge hose, in which the valve apparatus consists of a of parts which may be economically manufactured and assembled, and which do not require any appreciable maintenance.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a hose actuated valve apparatus of a structure such that the valve apparatus may be operated by an encircling spaced flexible member or hose coupled to the side walls of a fire extinguisher tank.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally attained by providing a valve apparatus, according to the present invention, including valve means movable from a closed position to an open position. Valve seating means are provided for receiving the valve means in the first closed position. Force biasing means are provided to urge the valve means towards the first position, and a lever arm is coupled to the valve means for effecting movement of the valve means to its second position.

According to a preferred embodiment of the valve apparatus of the present invention, the valve means is movable in an axial direction fi'om its closed position to its open position, and the force biasing means co -axial therewith. I

Also, in accordance with an important feature of the present invention, a flexible tubular member is spaced ice tion to its open position.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by reference to the drawing, showing merely an illustrative embodiment thereof, and in which is illustrated a sectional view through a tank Wall or other wall portion with the valve means of the present invention coupled thereto.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a wall 10, which may comprise a part of the side wall of a fire extinguisher tank or similar structure. Normally such walls are made of steel or other equivalent material.

The Wall 10 embodies therein a threaded opening 11, which may be formed merely by drilling and tapping a hole therethrough.

The threaded opening 11 is designed to receive a fitting 12, preferably made of plastic such that it will thread itself into the opening 11 to form a scalable, connection thereto such that gaskets, Washers, and the like are not required.

The fitting 12 is provided with internal threading 13 at the inner end thereof to receive the threaded end 14 of a connector 15. The connector 15 is provided at its opposite end with outer teeth 16 of a conventional consit lruction for securely receiving one end of an inlet hose The connector 15 is also provided with an inner annular shoulder, in inwardly radially spaced relationship from the threads 13, to receive a force biasing means or spring 19. The spring 19 is coupled at its other end to a valve member 20 provided with an annular projection 21 for this purpose.

The valve member 20 further includes a flange 22, such that a valve seal 23 maybe received between the projection 21 and the flange 22. The valve seal 23 may be made of bonded rubber or Teflon or the like and prefera-bly has outer inclined side walls tor cooperation with a valve seat 24. The valve seat 24 is formed by an inner shoulder of the fitting 12 and is preferably formed in tegrally therewith.

In accordance with a primary feature of the present invention, a laterally extending bore 25 is provided through the valve 20 to receive a lever arm 26. Of course, the particular means of coupling the lever arm 26 to the valve 20 may be varied, the structure shown merely being by way of illustration.

The lever arm 26 extends down through the outer portion of the fitting 12 and through the end portion 27 thereof which may be provided with ridges. Preferably an inwardly projecting dimple or the like 28 is provided in the side walls of end portion 27 of the fitting for a purpose that will be clearer as the specification proceeds.

The end portion 27 of the fitting 12 may also be pro vided with ridges similar to the ridges or teeth 16 of the rzzgnnector 15 for the purpose of retaining discharge hose The operation of the improved valve apparatus of the present invention may now be described relevant to its utility in conjunction with fire extinguisher apparatus.

The hose 29 will in its normal position extend downwardly along the tank side wall 10 to terminate in a discharge nozzle, horn, or other conventional outlet means (not shown).

When the extinguisher tank is to be used, it will merely be necessary tor the operator thereof to manually pull 0 the hose 29 in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawings, whereby the inner side Walls of the hose will engage the lower portion of the lever arm and draw the lever arm against the end portion 27 of the fitting 12. By providing the inward projection 28 on the end portion 27 of the fitting 12, a fulcrum point is provided for the lever arm to pivot about such that the lower portion thereof will be urged outwardly by the hose 29, while the upper portion thereof will tend to move the valve 20 inwardly against the biasing force of the spring 19. As soon as the lever arm has overcome the biasing action of the spring 19, the valve 20 will unseat from the seat 23 to allow the fire extinguishing agent to be discharged through the hose 17, connector 15, fitting 12, and thereafter outwardly through the discharge hose 29.

It will be appreciated that if the operator should move the hose 29 in a direction at right angles (in the same plane) to the direction indicated by the arrow that the valve 20 will not unseat but will merely tend to have its coupled seal 23 rotate within the valve seat 24. In consequence, any inadvertent movement of the hose 29 in a direction substantially circumferentially parallel tothe tank wall will not cause accidental discharge of the unit. Thus, 'a positive force in the direction of the arrow will be required in order to open the valve 20 for operation of the extinguisher.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made in the valve apparatus illustratively shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination comprising: a wall, said wall defining an opening; valve housing means internally defining a fluid passage, said valve housing means extending transversely through said Wall and including a portion on one side of said wall extending in a given direction parallel to said wall; valve seat means within said valve housing means; valve means movable from a closed position to an open position within said valve housing means, said valve seat means being coupled within said valve housing means for receiving said valve means in said closed position; force biasing means within said housing means for urging said valve means towards said closed position; a lever arm coupled to said valve means for effecting movement of said valve means to said open position, said lever arm extending in said given direction and being mounted on said one side of said wall within said portion; and a flexible tubular member coupled to said valve housing means on said one side of said wall, said flexible tubular member forming a continuation of said fluid passage and completely encircling said lever arm in radially spaced relationship thereto.

2. The subject matter according to claim 1, in which said portion of said valve housing means is provided with an inward projection designed to cooperate with said lever arm to form a fulcrum point therefor by actuation of said flexible member to engage said lever arm.

3. The subject matter according to claim 1, and fulcrum means for said lever arm, said fulcrum means being defined between said lever arm and said one portion of said valve housing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,562 Neumeyer Sept. 11, 1900 1,020,434 McKenna Mar. 19, 1912 2,149,584 Davis Mar. 7, 1939 2,172,079 Boehm Sept. 5, 1939 2,271,151 Fina Jan. 27, 1942 2,279,834 McGee Apr. 14, 1942 2,735,590 Ayres Feb. 21, 1956 2,877,480 Warren Mar. 17, 1959 2,892,574 Noe June 30, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 82,763 Germany Sept. 11, 1895 

1. THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A WALL, SAID WALL DEFINING AN OPENING; VALVE HOUSING MEANS INTERNALLY DEFINING A FLUID PASSAGE, SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID WALL AND INCLUDING A PORTION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID WALL EXTENDING IN A GIVEN DIRECTION PARALLEL TO SAID WALL; VALVE SEAT MEANS WITHIN SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS; VALVE MEANS MOVABLE FROM A CLOSED POSITION TO AN OPEN POSITION WITHIN SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS, SAID VALVE SEAT MEANS BEING COUPLED WITHIN SAID VALVE HOUSING MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID VALVE MEANS IN SAID CLOSED POSITION; FORCE BIASING MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING MEANS FOR URGING SAID VALVE MEANS TOWARDS SAID CLOSED 